Ionia County Memorial Hospital will become a Sparrow affiliate, effective January 1, culminating a partnership that began in 2006. Ionia already gets emergency room care from Emergency Medical Associates, PLLC, which staffs Sparrow's emergency department and Level One trauma center. Ionia is getting a 64-slice CT scanner from Sparrow next month to replace its eight-year-old 4-slice scanner.

Sparrow president and CEO Dennis Swan calls the partnership a great opportunity to grow and develop health care in Mid-Michigan. Ionia County Memorial board chairman Dab Balice says it will secure the future of health care in the community.